Turn that Frown Upside Down!

 I can't lie...it's hard work being a stay-at-home mom.  It's not nearly as glamorous as I thought it was going to be.  I have no idea what I thought it was going to be like...but I'm pretty sure that it didn't include drinking luke-warm coffee a couple of hours after it's been poured (and being happy that you get to it before noon).  I also thought that I would always have a patient-loving heart and a smile on my face.  But I'm human and there are some days that I just run out of patience. 

Alicia's Happy Day Challenge for the week was to share what shakes a bad mood, and I've had my fair share of bad moods...

1) Leave the house.  When Nate gets home from work and sees that my hair is practically standing on its end, he pretty much tells me to go out and do something.  Luckily, I LOVE Target and always need a couple of things.  For some reason, walking around those aisles finding 'deals' can shake what's bothering me.

2) Read.  I've always had a passion for stories.  And I love being transported to a different time/place/world with the written word.  Even if I don't have time to read a book, I usually have time to read an article from my favorite magazine Real Simple.

3) Count my blessings.  This may sound corny, but when I'm at my wits end and just frustrated, I try to sit down with a glass or water (or wine if it's after 5) and really think about all I have to be thankful for.  Yes, my kids can make me a little batty, but it's awesome that Nate and I have been blessed with them.  And even cooler that I get to spend time raising them at home! 

Blah!

If you've been following my blog this summer you've noticed that I'm doing Alicia's Happy Day Project.  It's basically doing one little thing to make yourself happy. 

Up until now, it's been completely do-able.  But it's almost like she's been in our house and seen the blah vanilla walls when she challenged us to "Fluff Up Your House".  She is the best decorator around and I wish we lived closer (NC is toooooo far away!) so she could help me with this.

When we moved in (almost three months ago) I was in survival mode.  It was a "unpack the boxes before we have a baby" type of mode.  Consequently there are very few things hung on the walls.  Well, it has bugged me long enough!  Here are the before photos. 



Ignore the baby and the mess on the table...

Can you say boring cream walls?!

Pretty boring and blah huh?!  I haven't actually 'fluffed' anything in the house yet, but I did go out and buy six different types of curtains to add some color to the walls.  I'm not sure what I'm going to go with yet.  But it's my July goal to have a decorated house!  Thanks Alicia for giving me the umph to get this done!

The List

Hi, my name is Katie and I have a confession for you.  I'm a list maker.  A serious list maker.  Grocery lists, to do lists, packing lists  - you name it, I've made it.  So when Alicia's Happy Day project for the week was to make a Summer Fun Lists,  you better believe that I was all over it! 

Some of the things on the list include going camping, eating s'mores, enjoy coffee on the deck, and celebrate both my sister's wedding and my parents' church 125th anniversary.  After looking at all of the fun we want to have it's hard not to be happy and excited about the coming couple of months!

Getting Myself Back

(yes, I reward myself for drinking my first glass of water of the day with a cup of coffee... and the bottles and children's allergy meds in the background are totally classy!)

Okay Alicia over at La Famille is reading my mind.  It's now been six weeks since I've had Owen and I'm ready to get back into my old pre-pregnancy clothes.  The good news is that they technically fit...the bad news, they don't fit like they should.  So when I read that Alicia's Happy Day Project for the week was to create a healthy plan for summer, I knew I had to participate. 

I wasn't exactly overly active for the last nine months.  Yes, I tried to exercise and eat right, but lets face it, I wasn't perfect.

So, I'm making three goals for myself for the summer...
1) Drink more water
2) Move more (at least four days a week)
3) Write down what I eat (at least 5 days a week)

Looking at the goals, they're totally do-able and I'm hoping that I start looking/feeling like the 'old me' again.  (and you better believe that I'll post some new lower fat recipes too!)

Paint Your Toes

My girlfriend Alicia (miss you and your family!) started a weekly challenge called the Happy Day Project.  The goal is to do one little thing each week to bring joy/happiness.  I've been secretly doing these challenges, but this is the first time that I'm blogging about it.  The challenge was to Paint Your Toes.  It sounds simple, and each year at the start of spring I swear that THIS year I won't get chipped toenails.  But, usually by about May 1st, my feet are a mess.

Last week for my sister's wedding we splurged and went for pedicures.  Loved not only the pampering of my tootsies, but spending time with my sister.  This totally brought joy to my week!  And two days later even more joy was brought to our family when she got married.  Seriously, isn't she gorgeous?!